Development of a NIR microspectrometer based on a MOEMS scanning grating

Abstract

In the last few years the importance of Micro Opto Electro Mechanical Systems (MOEMS) increased significantly in technical applications. This is caused by the possibility of combining micro optical elements with micromachining technology that makes it feasible to develop new systems with high volumes and low prices. In this article, we report on the realization of a NIR (near infrared) spectrometer in the range of 900 - 2000 nm using MOEMS technology. It is based on a scanning mirror chip, which mirror plate is structured with a diffractive aluminium layer on top. This offers the possibility to fabricate a spectrometer, which needs only one single InGaAs detector photo diode. In contrast to common CCD arrays, the obtained resolution is only limited by the performance of the spectrometer (entrance slit, exit slit, focus length, diffractive element). The scanning grating chip operates at a frequency of 500 Hz, at an optical scan range of ± 4°. The whole spectrometer has a size of 90 x 60 x 50 mm. For first investigations of the performance, IR LEDs (light emitting diode) with 1300, 1450 and 1550 nm wavelength have been measured.